Ribbon actuating device for laundry tag marking machines



Sept 8, 1931- c. E. coNsTABLE 1,822,339

RIBBON ACTUATING DEVICE FOR LAUNDRY TAG MARKING MACHINES Filed May 2e,1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 sept- 8, 1931- c. E. coNsTABLl-z l 1,822,339

RIBBON ACTUATING DEVICE FOR LAUNDRY TAG MARKING MACHINES Filed May 26,1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICECHARLES E. CONSTABLE, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONALMARKING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIORIBBON .ACTUATING DEVICE FOR LAUNIJRY TAG MARKING MACHINES Applicationled May 26, 1930. Serial No. 455,657.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable andinexpensive ribbon supporting and actuating device to be used inconnection with that type of laundry tag marking machines in which isemployed a tag supporting base and a pivoted type carrying head movablymounted towa rd and from the base to accomplish the marking operation,in such manner that the ribbon will be sup- 1o ported normally midwaybetween the type and its coacting platen to permit free movement of thetags as they are placed in position, and also to permit free movement ofthe type as they are adjusted to position Without engaging said ribbon.

More specifically it is the object of my invention to provide in amarking machine of the type above described improved ribbon supportingmechanism of simple construction, and adapted to be automaticallyoperated by the movement of the typesupporting head, and to provide inconnection therewith simple and eflicient means for advancing theribbon.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a marking machine showing the manner inwhich my improved ribbon operating device is applied thereto. a. portionof one end of the base being broken away.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.y

Figure 3 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the referencenumeral 10 to indicate the base which has a top member 11, side members12 and end members 13. The rear :5 end of the top 11 is provided with apair of upwardly projecting lugs 14 designed to support a shaft 15 towhich a type head 16 is mounted. The shaft 15 provides means forpivotally connecting said head with the base.

i0 Springs 17 are wound on the shaft 15 for normally retaining theforward end of the head 16 in an elevated position, as shown in Figure1.

A second shaft 18 is carried by the head 16 on which is mounted the typewheels 19, said wheels being capable of being rotated to bring thedesired type into printing position.

Supported transversely between the side members 12 is a partition plate2O for supporting my improved ribbon supporting and operating mechanism.The top 11 is provided with openings 21 immediately below the shaft 1S.The platen 22 is supported transversely in the member l1 between theopenings 21 and parallel with the shaft 18. The platen has its upperedge supported a slight distance above the top member 11. Fixed in theplate 20 is a pair of pintles 23 designed to carry ribbon supportingspools 21- and 25.

Slidably mounted on the forward face of the partition 20 and adjacent tothe spool 24 I have provided a guide plate 26 having av vert-ical slot27 to receive screws 28. Said screws 28 are mounted in the plate 2() andprovide means for guiding the plate 26, whereby vertial movement will bepermite` ted. A spring 29 has one end connected to the plate 26 and theother end to the plate 20, which provides means for normally retainingthe guide 26 at its upper limit of movement. Said guide 26 operates inone of the openings 21. A similar guide plate 30 is provided adjacent tothe spool 25, said guide being mounted on screws 31.

The upper ends of each of the guides 26 and 30 have laterally projectingribbon guide pins The lower ends of the guides are also provided withribbon guide pins 33. Said pins are designed to normally support aribbon '34 substantially midway between the type 19 and the platen 22.One end of the ribbon 2l is connected to the spool 25 and the oppositeend to the spool 24, in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

The plate 30 has a spring 35 for yieldably and normally retaining saidplate at its upper limit of movement.

Pivotally mounted on the pintle 23 and adjacent to the back side of thespool 25 is a ratchet wheel 36 designed to impart movement to said spool25. A spring actuated pawl 37 is provided to prevent backward rotationof the ratchet wheel.

Pivotally mount-ed on the said pintle 23 and adjacent to the back sideof the ratchet 36 1s a plate 38 having at one end a member 39 providedwith slots 40 designed to recelve the screws 31 in such manner that alimlted p1votal movement of the plate 38 will be permitted. Said plate38 is slidably supported in front of the plate 30, and has its lower endprovided with a laterally projecting lug 41 designed to be engaged by aforwardly projecting pin 42 from the plate 30, as the said plate ismoved downwardly. Said plate 30 is also provided with a forwardlyextending pin 43 designed to engage the lower edge of the plate 38, andto move it upwardly as the said plate 30 is moved upwardly.

A considerable space is provided between the pin 42 and the lug 41 whenthe plate 30 is at its upper limit of movement.

-The plate 39 is provided with a spring actuated pawl 44 designed toengage the ratchet 36, whereby downward movement of the plate 39 willcause the said ratchet to be rotated.

The operation of my device is as follows:

Assuming that the head 16 is supported in its elevated position, asillustrated in Figure 1, and that the type wheels 19 have been set sothat the type representing the desired character to be printed will besupported immediately above the ribbon 34, and that the said head 16 isoperated to swing the type 19 downwardly, then it will be seen that thelower edges of the side members of the frame 16 will engage the upperends of the guide plates 26 and 30, and that the said guide plates willbe moved downwardly, causing the horizontal portion of the ribbon 34 tobe lowered onto the tag 45, which has been previously placed in positionbetween said ribbon and the platen 22 on the top member 11. Furthermovement of the head 16 will cause the printing of the tag 45.

As the plate 3() is moved downwardly, the pin 42 will be brought intoengagement with the upper edge of the lug 41, causing the plate 38 to beswung downwardly and with it the ratchet 44, which in turn will causethe spool 25 to be rotated in an anti-clockwise direction, asillustrated in Figure 2. and the ribbon 34 to be advanced a slightdistance. The pin 42 engages the lug 41 just before the end of thedownward stroke of the plate 30.

As the head 16 is moved upwardly, the plates 26 and 30 will be movedupwardly through the action of the springs 29 and 35. The pin 43 willengage the lower edge of the plate 38 and cause it to be elevated.

By this arrangement it will be seen that I have provided a simple ribbonoperating mechanism for tag marking machines, and so arranged that aribbon will be supported intermediate the platen and the type, so thatcal'ds or tags may be inserted between the ribbon and the platen withoutengaging the ribbon and causing the same to be smeared with inktherefrom, and at the same time permit free movement of the rotativelymounted type supporting disk without engaging said ribbon, and inconnection therewith simple means for advancing the ribbon through themachine.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a base having a platen, a typehead pivoted to move toward and from said platen, type carried by saidhead, means for supporting an inked ribbon normally in an intermediateposition between said type and said platen, and means actuated by themovementI of said type head for actuating said type supporting means tomove said ribbon toward and from said platen.

2. In a device of the class described, a base l having a platen, a typehead pivoted to move toward and from said platen, type carried by saidhead, means for supporting an inked ribbon normally in an intermediateposition between said type and said platen, and means actuated by themovement of said type head for actuating said type supporting means tomove said ribbon toward and from said platen and for advancing theribbon.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base havinga platen, a type head pivoted to said base to move toward and from saidplaten, type carried by the free end of said head, means for supportingan inked ribbon normally in an intermediate position between said typeand said platen, said means comprising a pair of slidably mounted guideplates having ribbon guide pins, spool supporting pintles, a ribbonspool for each pintle, means carried by said head for engaging the upperends of said guide plates as the head is moved to printing position forcarrying said ribbon toward said platen, and yieldable means forreturning said guide plates to their normal position of movement.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base havinga platen, a type head pivoted to said base to move toward and from saidplaten, type carried by the free end of said head, means for supportingan inked ribbon normally in an intermediate position between said typeand said platen, said means comprising a pair of slidably mounted guideplates having ribbon guide pins, spool supporting pintles, a ribbonspool for each pintle, means carried by said head for engaging the upperends of said guide plates as the head is moved to printing position forcarrying said ribbon toward said platen, yieldable means for returningsaid guide plates to their normal position of movement, and ratchetmechanism actuated by a predetermined movement of one of said guideplates for rotating one of said ribbon supporting spools.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base havinga tag supportingfr plate, said plate being provided with a longitudinalopening, a platen mounted longitudinally in said opening, a type head,type for said head, means for movably mounting said head whereby thetype Will be moved toward and from said platen, guide plates slidablymounted in said base, ribbon support-ing pins carried by said guideplates, a ribbon on said pins supported normally between the type andsaid platen, means actuated by the movement of said type head to- Wardsaid platen for engaging said slidably mounted guide plates and movingsaid ribbon into engagement with said platen, yieldable means forreturning said guide plates to their normal position of movement, andmeans actuated by one of said guide plates for advancing said ribbon.

6. In a device of the class described, a ribbon operating mechanismcomprising a support, a pair of spool supporting pintles on saidsupport, a spool for each of said pintles, a ratchet Wheel for one ofsaid spools, a pair of slidably mounted guide plates adjacent to saidspools, guide pins for each of said plates, a ribbon carried by saidpins, one end of the ribbon being supported on one of said spools andthe opposite end on the other one of said spools, yieldable means forretaining said guide plates in their normal position of movement, a pawlsupporting plate pivotally mounted on one of said pintles and adjacentto said ratchet, a paWl carried by the last said plate for engaging saidratchet, means carried by the last said slidable plate for actuatingsaid pivoted plate when said slidable plate has reached a predeterminedposition of its movement for imparting rotation to the adjacent spool,and means for simultaneously operating said slidable lates to move theactive portion of said ri bon into and out of operative relation with aprinting platen.

` Des Moines, Iowa, May 6, 1930.

CHARLES E. CONSTABLE.

